Racing Melbourne Cup 2023 ( no after the fact posts)

Melbourne Cup winner??

  • 2.ALENQUER(9) - Damien Oliver

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 8.RIGHT YOU ARE(15) - John Allen

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 13.OKITA SOUSHI(20) - Dylan Gibbons (a)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 14.SHERAZ(22) - Beau Mertens

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 16.MAGICAL LAGOON(7) - Mark Du Plessis

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 19.VIRTUOUS CIRCLE(6) - Craig Newitt

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 22.INTERPRETATION(17) - Teo Nugent

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 23.KALAPOUR(14) - Zac Lloyd (a)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    99
  • Poll closed .

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Post Caulfield Cup rankings

1A. GOLD TRIP - Really good run in the Caulfield Cup beating everything bar the winner heading this way comfortably. Expect Flemington to suit him a lot better and presume he meets WAF slightly better at the weights now heading there. Has the class and is already proven running out a strong 2 miles in the Melbourne Cup. All going to be weather dependent as to whether he is the top seed or not. If the track has give in it then it really improves his chances and puts the slows on his main rivals.

1B. WITHOUT A FIGHT - Brilliant winner of the Caulfield Cup. Had a couple lengths on Gold Trip and 5 lengths + on everything else heading this way so very hard to see anything else bar GT being able to turn the tables at Flemington. Technically he is unproven at the trip but with 2800m form in England the expectation is that shouldn't be a problem out here. His wheels don't spin on a wet surface though so if we have a soft track then its almost rule a line territory. Firm track though and he is the one to beat.

3. SOULCOMBE - Complete barrier rogue. Walked out 8 lengths behind them in the Caulfield Cup and ran really well considering. Made up good ground in that race through the 800-600 and was on the back of WAF and GT but then got crowded for a bit of room in the straight before plugging home reasonably. I think 2 miles at Flemington will suit him perfectly and that was a decent Cup trial all things considered but he is just consistently shit at the barriers and is just getting worse so no reason to think he wont miss the kick poorly at Flemington again and have to pass the whole field.

4. VAUBAN - Valiant King didn't exactly frank the form at Caulfield but he finished around these sort of horses and Vauban did beat him pretty comfortably by a couple lengths so would expect him to be in this sort of area still.

5. BREAKUP - Average at best Caulfield Cup run and he just didnt seem fast enough or good enough to sustain speed over 2400m. I expect the bigger Flemington track and the 2 miles to both be better suited for him but not by enough to be able to make up the difference on those already rated ahead of him.

Doesn't seem any point in going beyond this for winning chances for me. It was a strong Caulfield Cup and that is THE form race for Flemington with the other lead ups looking pretty lackluster. For the sake of looking deeper ill just round out the list with the best roughies for the back end of exotics.

ASHRUN - Currently $120 was one of the better runs out of the Bart Cummings. Off the scene for pretty much 2 years his first up run this prep was really good sitting 3WNC and getting beat 3.75L over 1700m. Backed that up in the Bart Cummings running on really well from last clocking the best last 800, 600 and 400 whilst giving away 5kg to the first two.

DAQUIANSWEET JUNIOR - Currently $101. As previously stated in this thread he is basically on the same prep as last year where he ran a credible 6th in the Cup and gets in nice and light in the weights. His 3200m form in this country is good and generally runs above market expectations when getting out to a trip so can see him running past some more tired horses at the end.

SPANISH MISSION - Currently $65. As said above he had been pegged as an out and out 2 miler since he got here and he has had 6 runs since that Spring for 5 goes at 2000m or less and one go at 2400m on a wet track which he doesn't go on. He is older, locally trained and had injuries so obviously not near his best but he has a lot more class potential than anything else in the dregs and his last start Turnbull 8th has a lot of merit crossing the line with most of these types.

VIRTUOUS CIRCLE - Currently $55. Had no luck in the Bart Cummings when running into traffic everywhere. Think he finishes considerably closer with luck and meets most of that field better of fat the weights should they meet again at Flemington.

MORE FELONS - Currently $300. For the plays tall believers. Yet to be seen but on his European form he isn't really any worse off than a lot of others also making up the numbers and he is a considerably better price than most of them. He will stay the 2 miles no problems and gets in light at the weights. For comparison he took on Absurde in the Ebor in their last race start before coming here and he was 14/1 vs 7/1 in that race carrying basically a kilo more and now meets him 3.5kg better off for a 3 length defeat in that race so I think id rather spec MF at 15x the price.


Trouble with a lot of the roughies though is they are on the day F4 add ons and if they run well before the Cup the odds will likely be gone and if they run like shit you probably dont want to be with them...
 
Vauban and Valiant King being separated by $50 at the odds makes no sense if the overseas form line is what we are going off, which seems to be what everyones creaming over.

VK soft in the Betfair market this morning but is good to go. Not a fan of the jockey choice (not sure it’s publicly known so won’t divulge).
 
VK soft in the Betfair market this morning but is good to go. Not a fan of the jockey choice (not sure it’s publicly known so won’t divulge).
Would love to know, I keep checking.

Was seriously hoping it was going to be Kah. I always love the MC stories that come with a win and hers would have been up there with the best. Coming back from her fall, to out of form and can’t no longer ride a winner to MC winning jockey and I would have been all in.

Obviously a couple of stories out of this MC could be
  • Damien Oliver in last ever cup
  • Willie Mullins finally winning one

Anything else anybody can point out that I’ve missed.

Off topic but a bit like the race named the “Damien Oliver” in the last at Flemington this Saturday. Will have a good go at Vilana in that one. It happens all the time…
 

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Off topic but a bit like the race named the “Damien Oliver” in the last at Flemington this Saturday. Will have a good go at Vilana in that one. It happens all the time…
Mercante in the Derby
Troy Mercanti,colourful WA motorcycle enthusiast.Him and a mate bashed Tony Mokbel to within an inch of his life in the Underbelly years.

Him and Olly both famous WA criminals
#13
50-1
Not sure how many omens you need.
 
Would expect track by cup time will be good 3 boarding on a firm 2 if weather prediction is right given normally watering. I suspect the track will be tinkered with and there will a heap of watering and the first race will be run on a track close to a slow 6 but rated good 4 with a statement it is close to a soft 5. Just pampering to the connections GT and Vauban. Sure the track needs to be watered from getting to hard but also nature should determine the conditions and if it suits horses that like a firm so be it, just like if natures produces a slow to heavy track suiting horse who like those conditions.
 
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Yep. I got on Betfair at 65 last night and today it's in to 28. What happened!? Honest question.

Probably the whole Interpretation thing? I get some intel from them via a mate, yesterday everything was on track; asked him this morning to get an update after the significant drift and nothing in the sell column (generally a sign); reply was nothing had changed. Then jockey named..
 
Would expect track by cup time will be good 3 boarding on a firm 2 if weather prediction is right given normally watering. I suspect the track will be tinkered with and there will a heap of watering and the first race will be run on a track close to a slow 6 but rated good for with a statement it is close to a soft 5. Just pampering to the connections GT and Vauban. Sure the track needs to be watered from getting to hard but also nature should determine the conditions and if it suits horses that like a firm so be it, just like if natures produces a slow to heavy track suiting horse who like those conditions.
Thunderstorms (possible) are predicted Monday evening, mother nature may just play her part.
 
Would expect track by cup time will be good 3 boarding on a firm 2 if weather prediction is right given normally watering. I suspect the track will be tinkered with and there will a heap of watering and the first race will be run on a track close to a slow 6 but rated good for with a statement it is close to a soft 5. Just pampering to the connections GT and Vauban. Sure the track needs to be watered from getting to hard but also nature should determine the conditions and if it suits horses that like a firm so be it, just like if natures produces a slow to heavy track suiting horse who like those conditions.
no chance in the world it starts as slow 6.. will start a good 4 as standard, and might get upgraded. When was last time in Melbourne a track was a firm 2?
Also its not going to be 39, its only 29 with chance of storms...
 

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Serps definitely looking like one of my 2 or 3 I throw in the back end of exotics at 70s for that Bois Dargent type result should a couple of the favs shit the bed
 
What do we think of Breakup?

Looks like it will run the distance. Formlines similar to Delta Blues before it came out. Ran 4th in the Tenno Sho, 4.8L off the winner. That was carrying 58kg - the winner ran 3.16 time.

Average run in the CC, however always needed the run under the belt after a 17 week break.
2nd up stats are bomb.

Could it be another romantic warrior where he improves significantly for his grand final?
 
Just been looking back at last year's renewal. I've been using the Racing Post to look at the subsequent form of the horses that finished behind Gold Trip (apologies if this is incomplete for some of the local horses?) but from what I can see the form of the race is pretty rancid. You have to go down as far as Knights Order in 9th before you find a horse that has finished in the first three in any race since that renewal.

If that's the case then it could be that GT simply outclassed a very weak field. Admittedly, it's hard for us Poms to get our heads around horses that are good enough to win top races over 2,000m and 3,200m in the same season, but I'm wondering if GT really is as good over the Cup distance as he clearly is over shorter trips. Perhaps there were no really strong contenders last year?

It looks a bit of a coin toss between him and WAF - perhaps the barrier draws will help decide that one, but for me Vauban will be too strong for them both this year. Folk bashing his form based on Valiant King need to remember that Vauban was far from cherry ripe that day. It was a case of just nailing qualification. Another formline to consider is the near 13 lengths it beat More Felons at Ascot. That being said, it's obviously dangerous to rate a horse through any one particular rival's subsequent performance in any case.

My experience with the Mullins yard is that one of theirs seems to be backed down to a price that makes you scratch your head, then they tend to get even shorter on the day and then win!

Vauban itself did as much in the week before when winning the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham. It then got backed again on the morning of the race before being sent off at 6/4 fav. I get the point that blindly following the money is generally the road to the poor house, but for this outfit the opposite is generally the case in my experience.

Folk have been saying it's too short for weeks now, during which time it's done nothing bet get even shorter. Just under 4.0 on Betfair now, it will be fascinating to see how that holds up from here (barrier draw influence aside). I think the manner of it's recent victories suggests there is more to come and that connections are confident. Missed all the good prices (well done those that got on a huge numbers) but will still be my main dart on Tuesday.
 
What do we think of Breakup?

Looks like it will run the distance. Formlines similar to Delta Blues before it came out. Ran 4th in the Tenno Sho, 4.8L off the winner. That was carrying 58kg - the winner ran 3.16 time.

Average run in the CC, however always needed the run under the belt after a 17 week break.
2nd up stats are bomb.

Could it be another romantic warrior where he improves significantly for his grand final?

One of only a handful that can fill the placings. Expect him to come on from Caulfield but he is too slow and cooked these days to win.

His only chance would be to lead the race by 10-15 and hope the chasers forget he is out there
 
Just been looking back at last year's renewal. I've been using the Racing Post to look at the subsequent form of the horses that finished behind Gold Trip (apologies if this is incomplete for some of the local horses?) but from what I can see the form of the race is pretty rancid. You have to go down as far as Knights Order in 9th before you find a horse that has finished in the first three in any race since that renewal.

If that's the case then it could be that GT simply outclassed a very weak field. Admittedly, it's hard for us Poms to get our heads around horses that are good enough to win top races over 2,000m and 3,200m in the same season, but I'm wondering if GT really is as good over the Cup distance as he clearly is over shorter trips. Perhaps there were no really strong contenders last year?

It looks a bit of a coin toss between him and WAF - perhaps the barrier draws will help decide that one, but for me Vauban will be too strong for them both this year. Folk bashing his form based on Valiant King need to remember that Vauban was far from cherry ripe that day. It was a case of just nailing qualification. Another formline to consider is the near 13 lengths it beat More Felons at Ascot. That being said, it's obviously dangerous to rate a horse through any one particular rival's subsequent performance in any case.

My experience with the Mullins yard is that one of theirs seems to be backed down to a price that makes you scratch your head, then they tend to get even shorter on the day and then win!

Vauban itself did as much in the week before when winning the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham. It then got backed again on the morning of the race before being sent off at 6/4 fav. I get the point that blindly following the money is generally the road to the poor house, but for this outfit the opposite is generally the case in my experience.

Folk have been saying it's too short for weeks now, during which time it's done nothing bet get even shorter. Just under 4.0 on Betfair now, it will be fascinating to see how that holds up from here (barrier draw influence aside). I think the manner of it's recent victories suggests there is more to come and that connections are confident. Missed all the good prices (well done those that got on a huge numbers) but will still be my main dart on Tuesday.

So you want to take 4.0 about a horse in the Melbourne Cup based on a wily trainer random guesses about fitness and mythical improvement and betting flucs in UK jumps racing over actual form. This is an even sillier way to bet than blindly following in Ebor winners.
 
So you want to take 4.0 about a horse in the Melbourne Cup based on a wily trainer random guesses about fitness and mythical improvement and betting flucs in UK jumps racing over actual form. This is an even sillier way to bet than blindly following in Ebor winners.
No reason not to believe the trainer when he says it's improving, it's barely raced on the flat after all. It was also smashed into evens in a 16 runner handicap at Royal Ascot when it won. That wouldn't have happened with any other yard I can think of.
It's very much groundhog day for me with the way the market is going. The form of that Ascot win is hard to weigh up but this horse looks like it can go round again at the end of it's races. If Mullins thinks he finally has the horse to win this race then I'm not arguing. The blow out the other day had people purring too.
I can see Ryan Moore taking it up a fair way from home and burning the rest off.
 

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Racing Melbourne Cup 2023 ( no after the fact posts)

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